For Little Friends

Mommy’s Day Off

The highest and noblest work in this life is that of a mother (Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Ensign, May 1999, page 39).

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Last Saturday was Mommy’s day off. Daddy and I got up early and made her breakfast. We brought it to her in bed. Boy, was she surprised!

Daddy made her hot cereal with peaches because that’s her favorite.

I poured her some orange juice and put a muffin on a small plate.

Daddy put everything on a tray. Then we added a flower in a vase, and a card we’d made that said: Happy Day Off!

Mommy was so happy! She said that it was the best breakfast she’d ever had.

After she ate breakfast and got dressed, Daddy and I told her the rules: 1. No housecleaning. 2. No cooking. 3. No laundry. 4. No worrying about anything. Mommy said she liked those rules.

She sat on the couch, reading a book, while Daddy and I cleaned the house. Daddy put the dishes in the dishwasher, and I vacuumed the carpet. Then I dusted the furniture, and Daddy swept the kitchen floor. It was hard work, but it was fun, too! I like doing things for Mommy. She always does things for Daddy and me.

Mommy took a nice, long bubble bath while Daddy and I made lunch. She said that it had been so long since she had taken a bubble bath that she had almost forgotten what it felt like. I told her that she could use my bubble bath anytime she wants to.

After lunch, Mommy went shopping for a new dress. While she was gone, we did the laundry. Mommy said it was the best laundry job she’d ever seen.

After that, Mommy listened to music and took a nap. Then we took her out to dinner. She wore her new dress, and she looked beautiful!

Mommy gave us both a hug and a kiss. She said it was the nicest day off ever! She said thank you and told us how much she loves us. I am glad we gave Mommy a day off. It was fun, and it made her happy. We love her very much. She’s the best Mommy in the world!

[illustrations] Illustrated by Kathryn Mitter

My Garden

By Lois Thompson Bartholomew

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In spring, I spade my garden, (Pretend to dig.)

Then make a long, straight row. (Act like you are making a row with a hoe.)

I place the seeds in, one by one, (Plant seeds.)

And cover them just so. (Pat dirt over seeds.)

I water all the little seeds, (Sprinkle seeds with watering can.)

Pull weeds until it’s neat. (Pretend to pull weeds.)

And then I pick my vegetables, (Bend over and pick.)

And eat and eat and eat. (Eat tomatoes, corn, carrots, peas, etc.)

[illustrations] Illustrated by Elise Black

Garden Watering Bottle

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To make a watering bottle for a gift or for yourself, you will need: a 2-liter plastic soda pop bottle with a cap, a nail, a hammer, and a variety of stickers.

1.

Clean the bottle and remove the label.

2.

With an adult’s help, use the nail and the hammer to poke five holes on one side near the top of the bottle (see illustration).

3.

Decorate the bottle with the stickers.

4.

To use, remove the cap, fill the bottle with water to just below the holes, put the cap back on, and water the small flowers or vegetable plants in your garden.

Photos by Lana Leishman

Handprint Flower

By Hilary Hendricks

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To make this flower for your mother or grandmother, you will need: several pieces of colored paper, a pen, scissors, glue, and a picture of yourself that you may cut up.

1.

Place your hand on the colored paper and trace around it. Cut along the outline. Make six of these paper hands.

2.

Arrange the paper hands in a circle with the fingers pointing out. The fingers form the petals of your flower (see illustration).

Photo by Lana Leishman

3.

To make the center of the flower, cut a large circle from the colored paper and glue it on top of the paper hands. Then glue your picture in the middle of the circle (see illustration).

4.

Cut strips of paper for the flower’s stem and leaves, and glue them to the back of the flower (see illustration). If you wish, glue the whole flower onto a larger piece of paper.